Tire-valve dust cap and locking mechanism therefor



J. T. RYAN 1,782,584

TIRE VALVE DUST CAP AND LOCKING MECHANISM THEREFOR Nov. 25, 1930.

Filed Dec. 27,1926

I IN VEN TOR.

\ ATTORNEY.

from 3 j Fig. 2 is a fragmentary central sectlonal viewl of the inventien with a part broken Patented Nov;

" I OFFICE w 1 110E111 miRYAN, or DETROIT, 1 MidHIGAiI h My 1 mail fr lat aiidjuefiil impreve w lbeking inechainismtherefir; and hasi'or its object the preyisibn offadevice which may 5 be mounted (1'11 tirevali e stem and loe kedin position so" astdprevent the removal of the tire fremi'the vehicle wheel, while the deyice is mounted on the tire Valve stem.

"Another Object Of the ihyention is the pro-1': visioncf adust Captor a tire valvelstern;

so arranged and cbnst'rueted thatismaybe automatically lcckedf in pcsitien on the tire val e st m;

Another ehject ftiie iii e1itibn1is the pmvision ef a liey operated means for releas:

inga leekingmechanism for permitting the removal (if a dust cap from a tire Valve stem.- QQther ohjects will appearhereinafter.

r a The invention cbnsists in the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter de scribed and claimed.

The invention iinderstoold by areference to the accdmpanying drawings which-form apart of this specification and Fig. 1. is a central vertlcal sectional vlew oftheinventidn showingthe tire valve stem in fragment and displaced slightly thereaw r A a a Fig. 3 is a View. similar to Fig. 1 but shew- 35 they treleasingmechanism operatiye.

1 ua pvpr p a M Big. 5 is a fragmentary sect onal V ew taken ensiibstantially line 5 f5cf Fig. 2.

y Figl cis a sectional taken shbstantial Fig,,71i a; seetienal view talzen online 797* 011 Fig, 1.

1 I (131g; 8 a viewitakeiil'on line 8 8 of Fig. 33.

Thei vnriomcjomprme a casing, or dust arppr per 1 h v g s 1Qw ib n merit} in a tire valve dust cap and Fig. 1 isa' perspective view'in isassembled pesit idn; of mechanism mounted within the f TIJiE-R AL E misrfear AND mcmmimmmsm THEREFOR I @Ap neitibn manaeab 27,1926; s eiiial No. 157,116. i

stem having a reamed poradna An pn ing 17 is formed in the top (if the eap 14 and the cap isprovided with a swingably mounted Closure 18f0r closing the opening 17. At

diametrically opposite sides ofthe inner surslidably in the casing 14 is a head21 having 6'0 a threaded socket 22 f0rnied therein forthe reception of the reduced portion 236i the" tire valve ;stem. Positioned in the s0cket22 at its base is a suitahle gasket24 fer engag- I ing the open end of the tire Valvejsjtemwhen' thehead is threaded thereenl A'ztiallyeiitending greOVes25 are termed in thefhead 21' a end 3Qeng'aging the deg 29,thisspring being V doubled over upon itself and coiled (in the 1 which is projected tin-B igh the 44. The'spring normally tendsto separate;

1 the dogs "28 and 29s0' as 'te pi'bjecttheim through the sle'ts 28" andj 129 respectively termed in thebarrel' l so that as the head 21 is moved axially in the casing 14; thejse degs '1 will engage the teeth 19' and 20" to prevent movementofthehead 21 infoh directienin' the" casing 14. A sleeve 33, is also: slidahly mdunted 1111116 casing 14:, this sleevelieiflg prvided with axially extending diametrically Oppdsit'e peripheral sleltsi34 and 35,

thesef-slotsextending through thesleeve 33 exceptfat the thickened portion 41, the? slots 34 and a 35; foianirig gr'odves ijli thickened portion 41. Formed en theinner surface;

of the sleeve 33 a at the thiekened p rtien 11 is an axially eiit'endiilgslet 39 in which may e gage theplunger 38 which projects butwardly' from the ldck barrel 36 cai'iried by the cilpfshaped releasing fniemberl leiii A suitable ripening 37 is provided in the Barrel 36101 the entry of a key 37" therein to with draw" the p -ange as W111; The specific w structure of the lock mechanism in the barrel 36 is not given, as it of itself forms no specific part of this invention, and may be of a type well known.

Formed in the thickened portion 41 is a radially extending pocket or opening 40 in which the plunger 38 may engage so as to lock the barrel. 36 in fixed relation relatively to the sleeve 33. This sleeve 33 is adapted for threading upon the reduced portion 42 of the head 21. In operation, after the sleeve 33 is threaded on the reduced portion 42 of the head 21 and the barrel 36 is projected beyond the upper end of the sleeve 33, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the sleeve and the parts attached thereto are inserted into the casing 14, the ribs 19 and 20 engaging in the slots 34 and 35, as well the grooves 25, the plunger 38 engaging in the radially extend- 'ng opening 40. The flanges 15 may then be formed so. as to secure these parts within the casing 14. The various parts will then be in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the head 21 may be threaded on the reduced portion .33 of the valve stem. When this done, the casing 14 may then be moved axially downwardly so as to cover the valve stem and seal the same from dust.

As this casing 14 is moved axially downwardly, the sleeve 33 and the parts attached thereto will be supported by the valve stem, so that the dogs 28 and 29. engaging the teeth 19 and 20 will ride over these teeth and prevent the reverse movement of the casing relatively to the valve stem. As the valve stem enters the opening 16, a rotation of the mechanism on the valve stem is prevented, so that a removal of the dust cap and the head 21 which forms a cap for the valve stem, is prevented until the dogs 28 and 29 are released from engagement with the teeth 19 and 20. When the casing 14 is thrust downwardly the parts will have moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, the plunger 38 engaging in the opening 40, as shown. To release the mechanism to permit its removal from the valve stem, the key 37 may be inserted into the lock barrel 36 and the plunger 38 withdrawn from the opening 40, upon which the lock barrel 36, together with its cup shaped releasing member 43, may be thrust downwardly into position shown in Fig. 3, so as to press inwardly the dogs 28 and 29 and release the same from engagement with the teeth 19 and 20. The key 37 may then be removed and the casing 14 moved axially into the position shown in Fig. 1 so that the flattened portion of the valve stem no longer engages in the opening 16. The device may then be una: threaded from the tire valve stem. When the casing is moved axially, after the various parts have been moved to the position shown in Fig. 3, the inwardly projecting bosses and 46 carried on the inner surface of the casing 14 will engage the lower edges of the cup shaped releasing member 43 and move it upwardly into the position relatively to the sleeve 41, shown in Fig. 2, so that when the casing 14 is moved axially downwardly again, the device will have been released for auto matically latching the casing against axial movement in one direction relatively to the sleeve 33.

The tire valve stem, which I have shown, the device attached thereto, is of that type which isgenerally used on vehicle wheels having pneumatic tires in which the valve stem is projected through-an opening formed in the telly or rim of the vehicle wheel. This opening is generally of such a size that the tire valve stem fits snugly therein, so that when the dust cap is mounted on the valve stem, a withdrawal of the valve stem' from its projected position, is prevented. Consequently, with the mechanism shown, by locking the dust cap on the tire valve stem, I have produced a means whereby an undue removal of the tire from the vehicle wheel may be prevented withouta mutilation of the tire itself, thus guarding against the theft of the tires from the vehicle wheels.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction, I do notwish to limit myself to the precise form of structure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. A device of the class described adapted for mounting on a tire valve stem, comprising: a head for threading on said stem; a casing movable axially of said head for covering said stem after the threading of said head thereon; locking means for preventing the movementotsaid casing in the opposite direction; and means for releasing said looking means.

2. A device of the class described comprising: a casing; a socket bearing head slidably mounted in said casing and adapted for threading on'atire valve stem; a latch mechanism carried by said head; teeth on said casing for engaging said latch mechanism, the engagement of said teeth with said latch mechanism preventing axial movement of said casing relatively to said latch mechanism in one direction; and movable means for rendering inoperative said latch mechanism.

3. A device of the classdescribed comprising: a casing; a socket bearing head slidably mounted in said casing and adapted for threading on a tire valve stem; a latch mechanism carried by said head; teeth on said casing for engaging-said latch mechanism, the engagement of said teeth with said latch mechanism preventing axial movement of said casing relativelyto said'latch mechanism in one direction; and movable means ofor rendering inoperative said latch mechanism; and key operated means for controlling the V movement of said movable means.

4. A device of the classe described compris ing: a casing; a head slidably mounted in said casing and'adapted for threading on a tire valve stem; axially extending spaced teeth formed on the inner surface of said casing; a latch mechanism carried byflsaid head for engaging said teeth and preventing axial movement of said casing relatively to said headin one direction; a sleeve carried by'said head and'slidable therewith in said casing;

a releasing memberslidably mounted in said a sleeve and adapted upon=1novement in one "directlon for rendering said latch mechanism I inoperative. i

5. A device of the class described comprising': a casing; a head slidably mounted in said casing and adapted forthreading on a tire valve stem; axially extending spaced teeth formed on theinner surface of sald casing; a

latch mechanism carried by said'head for engaging said teeth an'd preventing axial movement of said casing relatively to said head in one direction; a sleeve carried by said head and slidable therewith in saidcasing;

3o .areleasing member slidably mounted in said y direction for rendering said latch mechanism sleeve and adapted upon movementin one inoperative; and key operated means for controlling the movement of sald releasing member.

6. A device of the class described comprising a casing; a head slidablymounted in said casing and adapted for threading on a tire valve stem; axially extending spaced teeth formedon the inner surface of said casing; a latch mechanism carried by said head for engaging said teeth and preventing axial movement of said casing relatively to said head in onedirection; asleeve carried by said head and slidable therewith in said casing; a releasing member slidably mounted in said sleeve and adapted upon movement in one direction for renderingasaid latch mechanism inoperative; key operated means for controlling the movement of said releasing member; and means on said casing for moving,

upon movement of said casing relatively to said head in one direction a predetermined distance, said releasing member to inoperative position. i In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

JOHN T. RYAN. f' 

